In the industry the general opinion is that if you are working with epoxy doing open layups you will eventually become sensitized and allergic to the resin. Hence the move to closed fabrication systems like resin infusion. As noted above, polyesters/vinylesters can have their own health concerns....
Re: styrene and gelcoat:
Both polyester laminating resin and polyester gelcoat typically contain 30-50% styrene monomer by volume. Styrene is a volatile organic liquid, usually derived from ethylbenzene. When laminating resin or gelcoat is catalyzed to initiate polymerization (to go from viscous...
Mixmkr's comments and recommendations here are excellent.
Applying polyester gelcoat over an epoxy laminate or epoxy patch *can* work, but doing this means combining materials of quite different chemical and physical properties. For any hope of success the epoxy substrate must be *fully* cured...
The crackle on the deck looks like failed paint.
For several reasons vinylester resin is superior to epoxy for the repair of older polyester laminates, especially if new gelcoat might be involved. Vinylesters are a sort of way-station between straight polyester and more capable epoxys...
Hi Clark! I appreciate very much all you do to archive Sunfish and other small boat information, and to provide so much help and advice to so many people here and elsewhere on the interweb. BUT, it is quite inaccurate to describe gelcoat as "thick paint".
Gelcoat most usually (but not always)...
I have pintle pins from three 1980's era boats: Sunfish, Minifish, and Force 5. From appearance, hardness, and non-magnetic quality, these pins are almost certainly 300-series stainless steel (likely 304 or 316).
• 300-series SS is relatively malleable - you can probably straighten a pintle pin...
It's always a good idea to wood an object before applying a clear finish, but 2-packs are very tenacious. If recoating, the original finish needs to be very well scuffed/sanded. It's not good practice to apply a harder finish over a softer original.
Tom Fabula (Stuart, FL) is/was owner/operator of Signature Finish/Honey Teak (Signature Finish is/was always quite a small company).
Honey Teak is a 2-pack catalyzed acrylic urethane that has a reputation for quick application and high build. It chemically "cures" (not "dries"), and is harder...
RE: coamings--
I would just cut the coaming in half at the "V", nest the two pieces side by side as well as possible, and mail. At the destination tape the two pieces to the deck in the proper orientation, glass the seam at the V, rattle can with your choice of color, and install w/ pop rivets...
Tee-Nee Trailer Company
215 E. Indianola Ave
Youngstown, OH
TeeNee was selling (mostly) boat trailers into the 1980's (there was a small mention of the TeeNee "Room Mate" utility trailer in the Sept 1983 issue of Popular Science magazine). I think they were gone by the late 1980s. TeeNees and...
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